Starting with the alphabet, reading, and pronunciation is a sensible way to begin any introduction to French: spelling and sound diverge significantly here, and without reading rules, words are easily memorized incorrectly. The good news is that these rules are few and can be mastered in a few days.
French Alphabet and Letters
The French alphabet is based on the same 26 Latin letters as English, so learning them from scratch isn't difficult — it's more important to memorize their French names to be able to dictate a word letter by letter. Below is the complete alphabet with the pronunciation of the letter names:
After mastering the letters, move on to the reading rules — the starting order is described in detail in the guide French from scratch.
Diacritics, Nasal Vowels, and Liaison
French adds diacritics to Latin letters (é è ê ë à â î ô û ç), which change the sound and sometimes the meaning, so they cannot be ignored. There are also nasal vowels (on, an, in, un) that don't exist in English — you need to get used to hearing them.
A separate phenomenon is liaison: a usually silent final consonant is pronounced before a word starting with a vowel (e.g., «les amis» → «lez-ami»). Plus, silent final consonants and the letter -e at the end of words. These rules cover most words that seem unintelligible at first glance, and they are worth studying first.
Transcription and Pronunciation
Transcription is particularly useful in French: it captures the actual sound regardless of spelling, and at the beginning, it helps prevent the adoption of incorrect pronunciation.
At Memofluent, every word has a transcription and context, so pronunciation and meaning are reinforced together, and audio helps you hear the word in its entirety. Try it:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many letters are in the French alphabet?
Twenty-six Latin letters, plus diacritical marks (é è ê ë à â ç, etc.) that change the sound but are not considered separate letters of the alphabet.
Why are French words not read as they are written?
Many silent letters (especially final consonants and -e), nasal vowels, and liaison. Therefore, reading rules and transcription are important from the very beginning.
What is liaison?
The pronunciation of a usually silent final consonant before a word starting with a vowel (les amis → «lez-ami»). It is mastered through practice.
Is it necessary to learn transcription?
Yes, at the start — it captures the actual sound. At Memofluent, every word has a transcription and audio.
Why are there diacritics like é è ê ç?
They change the sound and meaning (e.g., é ≈ closed «eh», ç ≈ «s»). They cannot be ignored.
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